15 killed as troops, Abus clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Nineteen people, including six soldiers, were killed in separate clashes between government troops and Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Sulu and Basilan, the military said.

The six soldiers belonging to the Army’s Scout Rangers were killed during a firefight with the bandit group in Talipao, Sulu on Friday afternoon, the military said.

Capt. Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said nine of those killed in the Sulu clash were bandits.

In Basilan, about four suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group were reportedly killed as the military intensified its operations in the province.

Rear Adm. Reynaldo Yoma, commander of the Naval Forces in Western Mindanao, said 26 soldiers and a still undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf gunmen were also injured in the firefight that took place in Barangay Bud, Talipao, Sulu at around 2 p.m. on Friday.

300 bandits

“Troops encountered an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf members under Radulan Sahiron, Hatib Sawadjaan and Julie Ekit,” Muyuela said by text message.

Yoma said some 300 Abu Sayyaf bandits were involved in the clashes.

She said attack helicopters provided support to ground troops.

“Reports from the ground disclosed that several members of ASG leader Radulan Sahiron were among the casualties and were believed to have been transported to Patikul,” Muyuela added.

She said the intensified operation in Sulu had “canalized the group of Sahiron, Sawadjaan and Ekit, which resulted in the massive number of Abu Sayyaf casualties.”

Major encounter

“It’s a major encounter. As of now the fighting is over. We are tracking their whereabouts. We are pursuing them, ” said Col. Allan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander.

The military said 74 enlisted personnel, including five officers, were conducting law enforcement operations against the Abu Sayyaf group when the encountered the rebels.

Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, Westmincom chief, did not specifically say when the Abu Sayyaf casualties in Basilan took place.

However, the military launched howitzer strikes against a suspected lair of Abu Sayyaf in Tipo-Tipo town on Monday and Tuesday while ground operations were also continuing.

“We have monitored, but still for validation, three to four casualties on their side and we have no casualties,” he told reporters here.

Guerrero also said the military had captured an Abu Sayyaf bomb making factory in Sitio Kurellem, which borders the villages of Silangkom and Baguindan in Tipo-Tipo.

“All the facilities inside that factory had been totally destroyed. Unfortunately we were not able to pinpoint where the entire group went but our efforts are ongoing to neutralize them,” Guerrero added With a report by Julie M. Aurelio in Manila